Toilet seat devices for jetting water toward the private parts of a user seated on a toilet seat are widely used for the purpose of washing the private parts. After using the toilet, the user causes the toilet seat device to perform operations such as jetting water from the nozzle and stopping the jetting after washing. The user selects such operations by pushing buttons or the like of a remote control device installed in the space in which the toilet seat device is provided. The buttons are often placed at a location where the user can easily push them. To this end, a remote control device including the buttons is typically installed on the wall surface or the like of the toilet booth. The toilet seat device is remotely controlled in a wireless manner.
Thus, the operation of the toilet seat device may be selected by a remote control device. This requires electric power for generating a signal corresponding to the selected option and transmitting the signal to the toilet seat device. The power is typically supplied from a battery incorporated in the remote control device or from the commercial power source through a wire. However, power supply by a battery or wire is cumbersome because it needs battery exchange or wiring work.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication 2006-9280 proposes a remote control device for a toilet seat device dispensing with such battery exchange and wiring work. In the remote control device disclosed in JP 2006-9280, when a user pushes a button of the remote control device, electric power is generated by the push operation and used to generate and transmit a signal. Specifically, the push operation of the user is used to drive a mechanism such as a button body and a locking piece part provided inside the remote control device, and applies impact to a piezoelectric ceramic body. The power generated accordingly is used for signal generation and the like.
The remote control device disclosed in JP 2006-9280 includes a plurality of buttons on a panel section. In the structure of this remote control device, the entire panel section is pressed to the rear surface side of the remote control device so that the mechanism such as a button body and a locking piece part can be driven by pushing any of the buttons. Self-power generation is performed by the pressing force. Here, self-power generation by pushing a certain button requires moving the entire panel section. The problem is that the need of moving the entire panel section requires large force for pushing the button, which is inconvenient for the user.